2019 Summer Day Camps for Ages 7 – 13

Voted the #1 Day Camp in Charlottesville!

The Living Earth Explorers and Themed Day Camps are a one-of-a-kind nature camp experience. We have been voted a favorite summer day camp for over 7 years!! We will spend the week exploring the mountains, streams and other wild places. Campers work together in small groups learning about the natural world, plants, mammals, tracking, birds, wilderness survival, awareness and so much more. We do this with hands-on activities, games, adventures and fun challenges. Our instructors are
“Nature Connection Mentors” and guide campers into experiences that nurture their connection to the earth and allow them to feel at home in the natural world.

At Living Earth Camps, we give each camper the attention they need to follow their passions, to connect with nature and each other. We have some of the best staff on the planet ~ really. The campers come first because they should. We serve mostly organic kid-friendly food, that the kids rave about. We buy from our local farms whenever we can. At our mountain camp, we try to keep life simple, natural, full of learning and laughter. Just good ol’ down to earth fun!

Living Earth Camps adjoin Shenandoah National Park, nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains amongst forest, field, and river. A natural paradise with a lifetime worth of learning and exploration. The Living Earth Summer Camps are conveniently located in Sugar Hollow, just 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville, VA.

Camp runs Monday through Friday from 9am – 4pm (Fri. pickup at noon).
There is an optional overnight on Thursday and camp pick up is Friday at noon.We have an optional aftercare program available on Fridays, for an additional $20, with pick up on Friday at 4pm.

Our Day Camps:

Explorers is our flagship day camp for all children aged 7-13. We will continue to have our general day camp for ages 7-13, called “Explorers Day Camp”, for new campers and returning, with all the classic favorites of Living Earth. It is our basic Nature Camp that focuses on Nature connection and fun all day. If you are signing your child up for our day camps for the first time, please register for the Explorers Day Camp, held several weeks throughout the summer.

Themed Day Camps available for campers ages 9-13!If your child has attended one previous Explorers Day Camp (general day camp) either in a summer past or this summer and is between the ages of 9-13, you may sign them up for a Themed Day Camp (Forest Ninja Scout, Fire Lovers, Fort-topia, or Elements of Survival).

Please note all the themed day camp, have a prerequisite of having attended at least one Explorers Day Camp. Campers may continue to do the Explorers Day Camp several times, or they may choose one of the themed day camps. Themed day camps still keep to the old favorite core routines, like sit spot, fox walking, etc, but the daily focus centers around the particular theme of the week. The themed day camp will join the “Explorers” for group games, snacks, and swimming.

2019 themes for campers 9-13:

Forest Ninja Scout:
Want to learn how to sneak around and become undetectable in the woods? To go with the flow of nature and move silently through the wilderness? We will get down and dirty with wild camouflage, scouting techniques, “jedi training course,” hiding and sneaking games, honing in with our intuition and fine-tuning our senses. Forest Ninjas, unite!

Elements of Survival:
Fire, Water, Shelter, Food. Do you long to live off the land? Begin to learn the skills you need to live in the woods. Each skill will be tested with a fun, special Challenge!

Fort-topia:
A week of massive fort building awaits! Forts to camouflage, forts to keep you warm and dry, forts to make with your friends- we will do it all!

Fire Camp-

Does even the thought of sitting around a campfire built by you or your friends sound exciting? Imagine a week full of fire making adventures. Learn the ins and out of fire safety skills as our basis, how to properly build a TP fire, how to light a fire using flint and steel, bow drill or a handrill. Yes, you can really make a fire by rubbing sticks together. Once campers have a grasp of the basics, we will set off on all kinds of fire making challenges, cook wild teas and make some tasty campfire cooked meals.

Woodworking:What do you get when you infuse a camp day of games, swimming and sneaking around in the woods with hammers, saws and wood? Wood Working Camp! Children will learn the ins and outs of tool use and building things with their own hands. They will dream big while creating their own projects from a pile of scrap wood like birdhouses, shelves, etc., puzzle over stripped screws and how best to pull out a nail.
Requirements: all campers must bring their own hammer and Japanese pull saw (specifics will come in your welcome letter).

Camp runs Monday through Friday from 9am – 4pm (Fri. pickup at noon).
There is an optional overnight on Thursday and camp pick up is Friday at noon.
We have an optional aftercare program available on Fridays for an additional $20, with pick up on Friday at 4pm.

Upcoming Adult Courses

One weekend per month Sept 2019 – May 2020 This program has officially filled! In order to get onto our wait list, simply click the register button, fill out your info, and you will be placed on the list. Relationship Resourcefulness Re-Wilding and Re-Inspiring In this world of technology and choice, we find ourselves busier[...]